Aug. 30, 2009
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - For the second-straight game, Pacific mounted a productive second-half effort this time defeating Albany 2-1 on Sunday, Aug. 30.
With the win, Pacific improved to 2-1 on the year, while Albany fell to 0-2 in 2009.
In only her third collegiate game, freshman Laura Hernandez (Seattle, Wash.) netted the first goal of her career, which ultimately gave Pacific the final 2-1 advantage to win their second-straight game in non-conference action. Only four minutes after the tying goal from Albany, 69:51 minutes into the game, Hernandez intercepted a ball that was supposed to be a clearance from the defense. From the right side of the field, she went to the goalie, Cate Crenson's, left and chipped in the winning goal from the outside of her foot.
Only minutes prior, Alabny sent in the equalizer at 65:48 minutes in. Maggie DeVerna received a pass from the right side from her sister Chelsea DeVerna immediately after the substitution break in action at 65:31. The double substitution for both teams caused a shift in players, which caused the defense to miss their marks, allowing the one goal from Albany. Pacific would not let the score stand at a tie, as they had aggressively out-played Albany on both defense and offense. The Tigers sent 23 shots towards Crenson, with over half of their shots, 12, on goal. Junior Jill Medigovich (San Diego, Calif.) held the Great Danes to only one goal, as she grabbed down two saves and helped Pacific earn its second victory of 2009.
In the first half alone, Pacific out-shot Albany 11 to one, when the Great Danes only had the ball on Pacific's side of the field three times in the first 20 minutes of the game. In a last desperation attempt at the end of the first half, Hernandez tried for her first goal of the game, when she went one-on-one with the goalie at :19 seconds on the clock. However, Hernandez had to go to the left in order to avoid an Albany defender and shot left-footed right to the goalie, for Crenson's fifth save of the first half.
That aggressive style of play continued into the second half again for the Tigers, as they broke through the scoreless drought in the 54th minute of the game off a loose ball in a throw in from the right side of the field. Junior Natalie Wong (Mililani, Hawaii) tapped in a pass from freshman Angelica Figueroa (Linden, Calif.) on the right side of the field as Pacific posted the first goal of the game. Not only was it the first goal of 2009 for Wong, but it was also the first career goal for the junior midfielder.
The Tigers had another scoring opportunity during a corner kick at 47:08, when Figueroa placed the ball in from the left side of the field right to sophomore Kristina Wavomba (Encinitas, Calif.) in front of the goal. Wavomba sailed the ball towards the goal, but it just barely hit the bottom of the crossbar and glanced out of play. Pacific still led 1-0 at the point, and continued to look for options before ultimately emerging victoriously in the game.
Pacific next returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 5 in a neutral-site contest against UAB when they head to Honolulu, Hawaii. Game time is slated for 10 p.m. PST.
